Date | May 2010 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 10M.2.hl.TZ2.2 |
Level | HL | Paper | 2 | Time zone | TZ2 |
Command term | Draw and Explain | Question number | 2 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
On the above diagram, draw the line that corresponds to the first ionization energy of hydrogen and explain your reasoning.
Markscheme
for showing the energy to remove electron from n=1 to n=∞ on the above diagram;
to ionize an element, electron must be removed from the atom/no longer under influence of nucleus/removed beyond n=∞ / OWTTE;
Examiners report
Candidates in some schools, however, appeared not to have encountered these ideas at all. Common errors were to label the first energy level asn=0 rather thann=1 and to only include one transition for each series. Sometimes the arrows showing the transitions were shown from the bottom up.
While more candidates managed to obtain at least a mark with regard to the first ionization energy of hydrogen, it was less common to find the correct graphical representation of the first IE with diagrams which often were unrelated.